Michael Wollny’s [em] // Cæcilie Norby Group // Richard Galliano La Strada Quintet

Michael Wollny’s [em]

“Young enough, not to have to lug around the ballast of the jazz tradition, and perceptive enough to discover something new every day” (K.Heidkamp/Die Zeit). Since quite a few years now Michael Wollny and [em] have been ranking among the internationally most successful jazz combos from Berlin. The trio is comprised of three personalities who correlate with each other like the corners of an isosceles triangle. Coming from totally different positions, they throw their individual styles and approaches in the mix and team up to consummate form. Their often narrative, abstract songs are inspired by such diverse sources as movies, books, paintings, cartoons, philosophical essays, everyday life or –sometimes– music.

For their new album, [em] have added harpsichord, music boxes and other sound paraphernalia to their so far rather conventional pool of instruments. Inspired by Krzysztof Komeda’s score for Polanski’s Dance of the Vampires the band will –in addition to genuine compositions– present pieces from Komeda soundtracks.

Cæcilie Norby vocals

Danish singer Cæcilie Norby was born into a musical home. Her mother, an opera singer, and her father, a composer, supported her musical education from an early age. Jazz was not her first love, though. After a classical education she turned to pop music in the early eighties and had some considerable success with the band OneTwo.

Ten years later the renowned Blue Note label released her self titled jazz debut, starring none other than Chick Corea. For later productions she cooperated with the likes of the Brecker Brothers, Terri Lyne Carrington, Nils Landgren or Palle Mikkelborg.

Her latest cd, Arabesque, shows yet another of her facets, reminiscent of composers like Satie, Debussy, Ravel and Fauré. Together with her recent ensemble, the IFPI (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry)-awardee will once again leave the boundaries of classical music, jazz or pop behind.

Richard Galliano La Strada Quintet

The French accordion-virtuoso Richard Galliano is an exceptionally versatile musician, able to make his mark in all kinds of musical contexts, from solo appearances to playing with a full big band.

Quite early in his career, his friend and ‘Tango Nuevo’ creator Astor Piazzolla had advised him to stay true to his roots and establish a kind of ‘New Musette’. Galliano’s exceptional abilities as a soloist are now well-recognized, and he continues to explore a vast range of music, without ever losing that lyrical quality that infuses the ballads on Love Day that he recorded with Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Charlie Haden and Mino Cinelu, or the French Touch which allowed him to make the link between Billie Holiday and Edith Piaf, with the trumpeter Wynton Marsalis.

For La Strada Galliano has gathered a squad of leading-edge transatlantic jazz musicians. His latest project is an homage to the great film composer Nino Rota (1911–1979) who, a.o., composed the music for all of Fellini’s movies and whose score for Coppolas’s Godfather remains unforgotten.